Process for production of permanent effects in cotton fabrics



Patented Dec. 19, 1922..

1 To all whom it may concern:

entree stares tease GEORGES HEBE'RLEIN, or WATTWIL, SWITZERLAND, As sIorNOR To HEBERLRI PATENT CORPORATION, on NEW YORK,- Y., A coRPORATroN OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF PERMANENT EFFECTS INbOTTON IEABZBJICS.

No Drawing.

Application filed September 1, 1921. Serial NO. 497,741.,

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS or THE ACT or MARCH 3, 192131 sTAT. L., 1313.

Be it known that I, GEORGES HEBERLE'IN,

I a citizen of-the Swiss Republic, and a resident of Wattwil, Canton of St. Gall, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Production of Permanent Effects in Cotton Fabrics (Which improvements are described in the following filed applications, i. e., German applicationfier. No. H 65355, filed Feb. 13, 1914; Patent of Addition #292,213, granted May 26, 1916; German application Ser. No.

H 68470, filed May 19', 1915; Patent #295,816, granted-Dec; 18, 1916; French aplication Ser. No. 83050, filed Apr. 21, 1916; atent #481,561, granted Sept. 23, 1916;

I British application 'Ser. No. 6218 of 1916,

filed May 1,1916; Patent #100,483, granted as of May 19, 1915; Belgian application Ser. No. 225,208, filed June 26, 1919; Patent #280937, granted (not yet issued) Italian application Ser. No.' (have none), filed May 4, 1916; Patent #154,095, granted June 5, 1916; Austrian application Ser. No; (have none), filed Apr. 29, 1916; Patent #81367, granted Sept. 25, 1920), of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a process for production of permanent effects in cotton fabrics. 1 i

In my United States Patent No. 1,141,872, granted June 1, 1915, I have described and claimed a process of treating cotton fabric to produce permanent wool-like efi'ects,by first mercerizing the fabric and then treating it with concentrated sulphuric acid of less than 51 Be. It was described in that patent specification that if cotton fabric which has been mercerize-d and also preferably bleached, be subjected to the action of sulphuric acid of from 49 to somewhat under 51 B. (the best action being obtained between 49% deg. and 50% deg. B.), the merthe transparency obtained with the higher concentration of sulphuric acid, the fabric assumes a fine light crape-like nature, wherebyit appears fuller, morewool-like, softer, and is generally improved and it has imparted to it somewhat the character of fine woolen stufi, such for example as fine thin wool muslin.

It was also pointed out in that patent that i the treatment could be utilized in the method described for producing pattern effects. It

was pointed out that pattern effects could be produced on plain fabrics by printing on merceri'zed, fabrics with sulphuric acid of say 50 Be. and 'washing'out after action has taken place; or that a suitable resist such gum thickening could be impressed on portions of the fabric in such a way as to pr otectthe parts not to be acted upon by the acid, and then the entire fabric dipped into sulphuricacid of the aforesaid concentration, and subsequently washing the fabric.

I have also discovered that the wool-like quality of the fabric mentioned in said Patent NO. 1,141,872 is also obtained if the cotton fabric is first treated with the'sulphuric acid of from 49 to 51 B.', then washed, and without stretching, mercerizing the fabric with caustic alkali such as caustic soda. The latter process forms the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial Number 497788 filed on even date herewith.

The latter process is distinguished from that described inthe aforesaid patent, in that the said wool effect is obtained according to the process of the aforesaid patent,

regardless'of whether the mercerizing is carried out with or without stretching, whereas in said latter process where the mercerizing is carried out after the acidtreatment, the proper wool-like effect takes place only when the mercerizing is done without stretching.

I have further discovered that the said Wool-like effect is attained if in carrying out the above described processes, the treatment with sulphuric acid is replaced by a treatment with phosphoric acid of 55 to 57 Be, or with hydrochloric acid of the specific gravity of 1.19 at low temperature (as for example below 0C.) or with nitric acid of 43 to 46 B., or with zinc chloride solution of- 66 B., at to 70 C. or with Schweizers solution, with a short reaction period. 7 a In this application for Letters Patent I aim to cover processes wherein nitric acid is utilized instead of the sulphuric acid. The remainder of the improvements herein described are covered by other of my co-pendstructurally changed by each treatment, and it is a characteristic of fabrics treated according to my process, that the fibres are chemically structurally changed, and that the changed or altered condition of the fibres is permanent, i. e., will withstand repeated laundering so that the goods may be laundered without eliminating or materially altering the characteristics of the fabric above described, and this greatlyenhances their value. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Method of treating cotton fabric to produce a fabric in which the fibres have been chemically structurall altered to give to the fabric a different an pleasing appearance which is permanent, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two chemical treatments, one a mercerizing treatment, and the other a treatment with nitric acid of about 43 to 46 B., the fabric being subjected to one of said treatments after the other, and after the acid treatment washing the fabric.

2. Method of treating cotton fabric to produce a fabric in which the fibres have been chemically structurally altered to give to the fabric a different and pleasing appearance which is permanent, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two chemical treatments, one a treatment with caustic soda which Will chemically structurally change the fibres, and the other a treatment with nitric acid of about 43 to 46 B.

3.- Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce the described wool-like effect, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two'chemical treatments, one a mercerizing treat-ment, and the other a treat ment with nitric acid of about 43 to 46 B., and after the acid treatment washing the fabric.

4:. Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce the described wool-like effect,

which method comprises subjecting the fabric first to a mercerizing treatment with caustic soda, and thereafter subjecting it to a treatment with nitric acid of about 43 to 46 B., and then washing the fabric.

5. Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce a wool-like effect, which comprises subjecting the fabric to treatment with concentrated nitric acid which will so chemically structurally change the fibers of the fabric, without seriously impairing the strength or flexibility of the fabric, as to produce said wool-like effect, and then washing the fabric.

6. A step in the method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce a wool-like effect, which step consists in subjecting the fabric to a treatment with concentrated nitric acid which will chemically structurally change the fibers of the fabric, without seriously impairing the strength or flexibility of the fabric, so that said Wool-like effect may be produced.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this SCLDBCifiOa-tlOIL TEORGES HEBERLEIN. 

